One Request
by Lingua Dii
Summary: Kenny asked Kyle for something, and the red-haired boy doesn't know what to do. How did they come this far?  Rated T for language. Sorry for crappy summary.
1. Injury

I've decided to try writing speech the way most of you are used to (I'm not gonna rewrite my other stories this way, though).  
>Keep in mind that italicized text still indicates thoughts and that it's most likely gonna suck, since it's the first time I try it.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>I can't believe it came to this... Although I guess I should've seen it coming.<em>"

"But why not?" asked Kenny while frowning.  
>"I told you, I'm not like you!" replied Kyle.<br>"What the hell does that even mean? You came back, every single time, and you knew what would happen!"  
>"... I didn't expect this... And besides, you don't want me, you just want someone... I just happened to be the closest someone you had this time."<br>"...Is that what you think? That I'm that... shallow? After everything that I've told you; after everything that I've done for you... how can you even think that?"  
>"...I-I'm sorry, Ken. I-I didn't mean-"<br>"Get out."  
>"Ken..."<br>"Get the fuck out of my room right now, Kyle!" said Kenny while pointing towards the exit.

Kyle turned around and slowly walked out of Kenny's room. Kenny slammed and locked the door behind him, as well as the window, and started sobbing on his bed. Why did Kyle say that? After everything that happened between them...  
>Kyle stood on the other side of the door, listening to Kenny's sobs and regretting what he had said. He didn't know why he had said that. He didn't mean a word of it. He was just scared, and it was messing with his head.<br>He tried opening the door, even though he knew it was locked. He wanted Kenny to know that he was still there, waiting for him to open it. However, Kenny couldn't hear him over the sound of his own sobs and the blood pumping in his ears. After a while, Kyle took out a small object from his pocket, wrote a small note, simply saying "I'm sorry", and wrapped it around the object. Afterward, he slid them under Kenny's bedroom door and left.  
>Kenny didn't want to read it, but his curiosity got the best of him and he did it anyway. After he finished, he crushed the note and the object in his hand, and tossed them into a random corner.<p>

"_'Sorry', huh? It's too late for 'Sorry'. You were right about one thing, though – I don't want you, Kyle. Not anymore._"

* * *

><p><strong>TWO MONTHS AGO<strong>

After getting bad grades for the fifth year in a row, Kenny got a job as a mechanic, per his mother's request, and dropped out. Now he spent his days drinking, smoking, doing drugs and working. Thankfully, his boss didn't care if Kenny was high or passed out most of the time, since they didn't have that many costumers anyway. If he did, Kenny wouldn't last ten minutes at his job.  
>Everyone knew that Kenny had dropped out, but nobody had actually seen him since he did. Many people had tried to get in touch with him, but he never picked up the phone or answered the door. His friends thought that he was just having a good time without them, but they were wrong. The truth was that he was tired of everything. He was tired of school, tired of the job his mother made him get... tired of living. He just wanted to be left alone. He didn't even try to kill himself anymore because he still hadn't found a way to get rid of his immortality, although he really wanted to. Kenny had tried giving up the drugs, for his own sake, but he couldn't handle the initial detox phase, due to the increased depression and pain, so he gave up. The many failed attempts just made him feel more worthless than ever.<p>

Shortly after 1 PM, a costumer arrived. Kenny was asleep underneath a car, pretending to work on it, so the costumer wasn't exactly sure what to do.

"H-Hello?" said the costumer with a shaky voice.

"_Great... A costumer... Well, time to get up._"

"I'll be right with you. Just let me finish up here..." replied Kenny.  
>"Kenny?"<p>

"_Who the hell is that?_"

Kenny slid from underneath the car and turned his head towards the entrance. He was blinded by the afternoon sun for a brief moment before the dark figure blocked it out. After his eyes adjusted to the contrast between the visitor and the bright blue sky behind him, Kenny was finally able to see who it was – Kyle. With the pure white clouds in the sky and the sun right behind his head, he looked just like an angel, which made Kenny's heart skip a beat.

"Hey, Kenny." said Kyle with a smile on his face. "So this is what you've been doing all this time."  
>"Yeah, my mom made me get a job, and this is the only thing I'm good at... What are you doing here?"<br>"My dad told me to come here because of his car."  
>"You're gonna have to be a little more specific than that, you know."<br>"Right, well, the truth is that he tried to explain it to me, but... I really didn't understand it." replied Kyle as he scratched his head and blushed slightly from embarrassment.

Kyle's bright red cheeks just made Kenny's heart pound harder in his chest. He knew why that was happening, but he didn't want to think about it. He had been in love with Kyle for a very long time, but it was strictly one-sided. He had tried dropping a few subtle hints every now and then (before he dropped out), but Kyle never got them.

"Well, take me to it then."  
>"Sure. It's right outside."<p>

Kenny was surprised that he had managed to sleep even though Kyle's dad's car had been towed to the front of the garage.

"My dad said something about the engine, but, like I said, I didn't really understand any of it."

After a quick inspection, Kenny discovered the problem and told Kyle that it would take a while until it was working again.

"How long will it take?"  
>"I dunno, actually... But it shouldn't take more than a week."<br>"You're really smart, you know that?"  
>"It's nothing, really..." said Kenny as he smiled and blushed.<br>"...Listen... I don't mean to sound annoying, but we're all worried about you... You haven't been answering the phone, you haven't..."

Kyle gave Kenny a long speech, although the blond boy didn't pay any attention to him. He was tired of everyone always worrying about him. It was one of the few things that could still make him angry. Kyle noticed his friend's expression changing from flattered to annoyed to angry, but he just kept talking. He thought that, eventually, Kenny would listen to him.

"Kyle, I know you're trying to help, but I'm fine."  
>"No, you're not! You haven't been sleeping properly, your hair and your skin look like crap..."<br>"...So maybe I haven't been sleeping well. That doesn't mean anything."

Kenny was right – his lack of sleep was meaningless. People had periods when they didn't sleep very well for no reason. However, Kyle also knew Kenny like the back of his hand. He knew that all the signs pointed towards the same thing. He just needed to be sure before trying to help him.

"...Let me see your arms."  
>"My what?"<p>

Without even replying, Kyle pulled one of Kenny's sleeves and saw very old self-inflicted scars (from when he tried to give up drugs) and some recent needle marks. Kenny got his arm away from Kyle, turned around and covered his arm once again.  
>Kyle was trying to figure out what Kenny had done to himself and why, and the answer was obvious. He didn't want to believe it, but the truth of Kenny's actions was impossible to ignore.<p>

"Why didn't you talk to someone? We have rehab clinics, we have-"  
>"It's none of your business. Leave me alone."<br>"It is my business... You're my friend, Kenny. I want to help you..."  
>"...You can't do anything for me, and you know it."<br>"Come by my house later today. We can talk then."

Kenny turned around, wanting to say "No" to Kyle's face, but, once again, Kyle's face had left him in a daze.

"...S-Sure."  
>"Really?"<br>"Yeah, just don't tell anyone. My shift isn't over, so I won't be there until like... five or six hours from now. But I'll be there, I promise."

"_Well, that was... easier than I thought. I must be really convincing._"

"So, about the car..."  
>"It's fixable, right?"<br>"I told it was, didn't I?"  
>"...Right, sorry."<br>"Anyway, I was just gonna say that it's not gonna be expensive or anything like that."  
>"Thanks... Hey, do you mind if I tell my family that you're coming over?"<br>"You can't tell them."  
>"How are you supposed to go in through the door and up into my room without anyone noticing?"<p>

"_Simple. I don't go in through the door._"

"Just leave that to me. Now go tell your dad about the car, but don't mention me."

"_Yeah, he's gonna climb in through the window. One of these days you're gonna break something._"

"...Fine. Bye, Kenny."

Kyle gave Kenny a short hug and went home, which, once again, made his heart skip a beat. Kenny stood beside Kyle's dad's car and watched his friend walk away from him for a very long time, until he decided to go back to sleep.

* * *

><p>"Kenny, wake up. Your shift is over."<p>

"_Fucking lazy kid..._"

Kenny opened his eyes and saw his boss, which made him fear for his job. Thankfully, the look on the old man's face was anything but angry.

"What time is it?"  
>"About 9:50"<br>"Crap! I gotta go; sorry."  
>"It's alright... Just don't be late tomorrow."<p>

"_Not that you actually do much around here anyway, but it's better than not having anyone around._"

"I won't!"

"_I'm late... I'm so fucking late..._"

* * *

><p>Kyle was already starting to think that Kenny wasn't gonna keep his promise. It was getting very late, and soon he would have to go to sleep. Before he could, however, he heard a strange sound coming from outside, almost as if something had crashed against the snow. Of course, the cause was obvious. It was Kenny.<br>Kyle rushed downstairs to help his friend, who was still twitching from the pain.

"_That's the last time I try something like that..._"

"Kenny!"

Kenny turned his head to find out who was talking to him and saw Kyle. The moonlight reflecting on his smooth skin and his green eyes made Kenny smile and blush, but the pain was too great for that to last. Kenny was twitching slightly from the pain, but Kyle didn't even notice it.

"Uh... Hey, Kyle. Do you mind getting me to a hospital or something?"  
>"My dad's car isn't working."<br>"W-Well, do you mind calling an ambulance? I'm not twitching because I'm cold, you know. This really hurts. I think I broke something."  
>"S-Sorry!"<p>

* * *

><p>Kyle hurriedly dialed 911 and went on the ambulance with Kenny. At the hospital, they told him that he would need to stay home for the next couple of weeks.<p>

"I don't have weeks! I have a job, you know."  
>"Either you stay home for a few weeks or get yourself a permanent wheelchair."<p>

Kyle was exaggerating, obviously, but Kenny gave in anyway. He just couldn't say no to Kyle. However, Kyle had other things in mind besides the fact that Kenny fell a few feet onto the cold snow.

"Great! Well, I'll tell my mom that I'm staying over at your place for the next couple of weeks then."  
>"Hang on, I didn't say an-"<br>"Bye, Kenny!" yelled Kyle as he left the room.

"_...I can't believe he just did that._"

Kenny could easily say no once Kyle showed up at his house, but he wouldn't. In the back of his mind, he knew that Kyle could and wanted to help him get through his addiction and depression. Of course, spending some time with a cute guy like him wasn't too bad either.

"_I just hope that I don't say or do something stupid to him... If I do, he might not be there to help me anymore._"

* * *

><p>A few minutes later, Kyle arrived back at his house. Everyone was asleep, and that was good. He didn't want his mom to wake up the neighbors. Kenny was spending the night at the hospital just in case, so he would be OK for now. Tomorrow, however, would be an entirely different story.<p>

"_I hope Kenny won't refuse my help..._"

* * *

><p>The next day, Kyle got in a cab and picked up Kenny at the hospital. Afterward, he helped him get into his room and sat down next to him.<p>

"So... you've probably already guessed that I'm not here because of what happened last night."  
>"Yeah, I know."<br>"I didn't bring any bags with me because I didn't want to force this on you. I think it should be your decision."  
>"...I need your help, Kyle. Please help me." said Kenny with tears in his eyes.<p>

Seeing his friend, the strongest guy he had ever known, in tears made Kyle realize just how serious the problem was. He put his arms around him and carefully squeezed him.

"Of course... All you have to do is ask."

"_It's now or never._"

"...I love you." whispered Kenny into Kyle's ear.  
>"What?"<br>"Y-You know, a-as a friend."

"_That's kind of a weird way to put it, but OK..._"

"I know. You're my best friend too, Kenny."

"_...I'm a coward._"

* * *

><p>I'm not exactly sure how many chapters this story will have. This chapter was supposed to end at the same time as Kenny's detox, but it was going on for too long, so I ended it where I did.<p> 


	2. Cleanup

I'm not sure how long this story is gonna be anymore. I planned for two chapters at first, but now it's looking more like 3-5.

* * *

><p>After Kenny's outburst, the boys sat there without saying anything to each other. Kyle had his hand on Kenny's shoulder, as a way to show that he was there for him, and it made Kenny feel a little better. However, if he was going to stay here and help him, he was going to need more than what he had right now.<p>

"Stay here, I gotta go get my stuff."  
>"...Thanks, Kyle."<br>"It won't take long."

"_Thank you._"

Once Kyle left, Kenny lied down on his bed and sighed. He would have fallen asleep, if it weren't for the pain.

* * *

><p>Kyle came back half an hour later with some bags. They were mostly filled with clothes and a few books, but there were also a few games. Kenny thought it was a bit strange, since Kyle wasn't going to stay there permanently, although he didn't say anything about it. He was truly terrified of saying or doing something wrong to Kyle that would make him leave.<p>

"Hang on, did you tell your mom that I was staying here? I don't want to scare her or anything like that."

"_Scare her? You're really bad at coming up with stuff on the spot._"

"I forgot, but she won't mind. She probably won't even notice that you're here."  
>"What about your dad, and your brother, and your sister?"<br>"Kyle, it's OK. You're not some random stranger. You're my best friend. We all know we can trust you."

Kyle sat on Kenny's bed and looked into his bright blue eyes, trying to find the slightest hint of discomfort. However, all that did was make Kenny blush and his heart pound in his chest.

"Are you alright? How's your back?"  
>"It's fine, Kyle. I just need to lie down for a bit."<br>"I can see that. Uh... I just have one question – where am I going to sleep?"

"_In my bed, if you wanted to._"

"Um... Didn't you bring a sleeping bag or something?"  
>"Nope."<br>"...Well, I'm sure my brother has a spare one. I'll go ask him."

Kenny tried to get up, but Kyle put his hand firmly on his chest and pushed him back down. Thankfully, he didn't notice how quickly his friend's heart was beating.

"**You** need to stay here and rest. **I'll** go talk to him."  
>"...Alright."<p>

"_Don't take too long. My hands are starting to shake._"

* * *

><p>Kyle left Kenny's room, not knowing that the latter was already starting to feel the effects of his detox. However, shaky hands were just the beginning. It would get a lot worse before it got better. Kenny's only comfort was knowing that Kyle would be there to help him through it all.<p>

"Sure, you can borrow my sleeping bag. It's just for tonight, right?"  
>"Right, about that... I'm gonna be staying over for the next couple of weeks... Maybe a bit longer than that."<p>

"_Weeks?_"

"Is that alright?" asked Kyle, wanting an answer quickly so he could get back to Kenny.  
>"Sure."<br>"Where is it then?"  
>"It's right over there."<br>"Okay..."

Kyle approached the sleeping bag and noticed that it was a lot bigger than a regular sleeping bag.

"Hey, this is kinda big, isn't it?"  
>"Yeah, it's for... two people."<p>

"_That's kinda weird..._"

"Thanks, Kevin."  
>"You're welcome."<p>

Kyle went back into Kenny's room, unaware that Kevin had started sending a text message to Stan about where he was going to be for the next two weeks. They started talking about why Kyle was going to spend that much time at Kenny's house, but Stan eventually decided to ask him directly... after leaving him alone with Kenny for a few days, just to see what would happen.

* * *

><p>"Kenny?"<br>"Yeah?"  
>"We gotta talk about what you told me."<p>

Kenny started to get nervous. What did Kyle want to talk about?

"What do you mean?"  
>"...You know what I mean."<p>

"_Not really, no._"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"_Why don't __**you**__ tell me what the fuck you're talking about?_"

"We're supposed to be best friends and... and you just keep something like that to yourself? Even if we weren't best friends, you needed to talk to someone, instead of just... cutting yourself."

"_Finally!_"

"I'm sorry, Kyle... I just... I mean, I didn't... I don't know what I was thinking. But that doesn't matter anymore."  
>"...It matters to me. You didn't trust anyone... You didn't trust <strong>me<strong>."  
>"...I'm so sorry... If you want to leave, I won't try to stop you."<br>"If I wasn't going to help you, I wouldn't be here right now. Besides, it's not like you could stop me from leaving even if you wanted to."

Kyle smiled a bit at Kenny, which made him blush. Kyle's smile was a reflection of himself – kind, pure and beautiful. However, the smile vanished once he noticed Kenny's hands shaking.

"Hey, your hands are shaking."  
>"...Yeah, it just started a few minutes ago."<p>

Kyle approached Kenny and squeezed his hands tight, trying to stop them from shaking too much. Kenny was so nervous that he started breathing very quickly, although Kyle thought it was from the detox.

"Relax. I'm here for you."

"_That's precisely the problem._"

"I'm OK, Kyle."  
>"...Can I ask you something else?"<br>"OK..."

"_What's he gonna ask about now?_"

"Why did you drop out? I know you don't like school and that you don't think you're very smart, but I just don't get it."  
>"...It felt pointless. Why should I try to do something if I'm just gonna fail? I'm not good at anything, Kyle..."<br>"That's not true."  
>"Really? Tell me then, what am I good at?"<br>"Everyone is good at something."  
>"That's not true, and you know it. It's just something parents tell their kids to get their hopes up... right before they realize it's all a lie."<br>"You're good at fixing cars, aren't you?"  
>"A worthless job that I got because my mom forced me to."<p>

Kyle tried to convince Kenny that his job was important, but he didn't believe it. To him, it seemed like one of the least important jobs he could have gotten.

"...If you weren't working when I went over there, I would have never been able to help you."  
>"So, what? It was destiny?"<br>"...Maybe."

"_I didn't know you believed in that nonsense._"

Kyle didn't even realize that he was still holding Kenny's hands until his phone rang and he tried reaching for it.  
>Stan had been unable to wait, so he decided to call him right away.<p>

"Hang on, I gotta take this."

"_Fucking Stan..._" thought Kyle as he left Kenny's room.

* * *

><p>"Yeah, Stan?"<br>"I heard you were spending weeks over at Kenny's..."  
>"So?"<br>"Well, I'm just glad to see you've finally come to terms with-"  
>"I told you, I don't like him. At least not like... <em>that<em>."  
>"Actually, you told me something like... 'Kenny... I love you too.'"<p>

"_You were asleep when you said it, but I wasn't. And your poor attempts to deny it just confirmed it._"

"...He's my friend, and he needs help. That's all."  
>"What's the big deal anyway?"<br>"...I don't like guys. That's what the big deal is."  
>"Kyle, we both know you're lying, but whatever. Sooner or later, you'll admit to yourself that you like him... I just hope it won't be too late."<p>

Kyle hung up the phone without saying another word. He went back into Kenny's room to comfort him, but the blond boy told him that he was alright and that he needed to sleep. He was lying, however. He had overheard what Kyle said and wasn't feeling very well because of it.

* * *

><p>Kenny woke up the next day with the sun in his face. He wanted to close the blinds, but the sun was really hurting his eyes, so he couldn't do anything other than block it out with his hands. He tried calling out to Kyle for help, but there was no reply. He was still sleeping. Kenny reached for his pillow and threw it in his friend's general direction, hoping to hit him with it. The next thing he heard were his groans, which meant that he had succeeded.<p>

"Kenny? What time is it?"  
>"The sun... hurting my eyes..."<p>

"_How could I forget about the sun?_"

Kyle ran towards the window and closed the blinds for his friend.

"Are you alright?"  
>"Yeah, it was just the sun..."<br>"Not that, everything else. You should be getting worse."  
>"Thanks a lot!" said Kenny as he smiled.<br>"You know what I mean."

Kenny wanted to make another joke, but Kyle was clearly in no mood for jokes.

"...My whole body hurts. I think I was still twitching a lot during the night... I must've hit the wall a couple of times."

"_Although it's not as bad as before... It must be because you're here..._"

"Let me see."

Kyle gently ran his hand on Kenny's chest and arms, checking for bruises. His skin brushing against Kenny's made both of them feel better, although only one of them accepted why.

"...It doesn't look that bad. You'll be fine."  
>"...Thanks for being here. The last time I tried it by myself I..."<p>

Kenny looked at the scars on his arm as a way to finish what he was saying. Kyle ran his fingers on them, trying to see just how deep the cuts were (and secretly enjoying the fact that he was once again touching Kenny's bare skin).

"That's why you shouldn't have been alone. Everyone needs some help every now and then. All you had to do was ask."  
>"...I asked you yesterday."<br>"And I'm here, aren't I?"

"_Good point._"

"...I'm not gonna leave you, Kenny."

"_I love you so much..._"

"Besides, the detox should only take about five days. We just have to make sure that you don't use again afterward."  
>"Right, about that..."<br>"...Kenny, you can't use again."  
>"I know that. That's not what I meant. I can't move around right now. My back hurts, my legs hurt, my arms hurt... I need <strong>you<strong> to throw my drugs away."  
>"Where am I supposed to put them?"<br>"Anywhere, as long as nobody finds them. You can burn them for all I care."

"_Probably not gonna burn them._"

"...I'm so tired."  
>"You can sleep if you want to. I'll bring you something to eat in a while."<br>"Thanks."

Kenny passed out shortly after and Kyle was finally able to see just how bad his spasms were. Kenny had been trying to keep himself from twitching too much, but once he fell asleep, he couldn't restrain himself anymore. Kyle put his hands on Kenny's arms, which made the twitching a little better, although it was still bad enough that it made Kyle cry.

"_Why did you do this to yourself, Kenny? You're the most..._"

Kyle knew the rest, but he refused to finish it. He knew that Stan was right about his feelings for Kenny, but he refused to accept them.  
>Kenny was the most beautiful person he had ever seen, and he couldn't accept that or understand why Kenny did these things to himself. He didn't understand anything anymore. He was truly lost.<br>However, he couldn't let that get in the way. Kenny needed him right now, and that was more important to him than any other problem anyone had.

* * *

><p>A few hours later, Kyle brought Kenny something to eat and drink and woke him up. His pain and spasms had increased to the point that he couldn't hide them anymore, and it was making Kyle very concerned for his health.<p>

"_You look like crap... Maybe this 'cold turkey' thing wasn't such a good idea._"

"Thanks."  
>"You're welcome."<p>

The boys sat next to each other as the sound of Kenny eating filled the room. It wasn't particularly unpleasant, but it was still awkward. The fact that that sound could be heard meant that they had nothing to talk about.

"...Are you sure that this is the best idea?"  
>"What is?"<br>"You know, giving up drugs 'cold turkey'."  
>"...I don't know if it's the best idea, but I'd rather suffer a bit for five or six days than-"<p>

Kenny suddenly felt a sharp pain in his stomach and instinctively put his hands on it, increasing the pain in his arms in the process. Kyle was on the verge of tears, but, unlike Kenny, he was able to hide it.

"Are you alright?"  
>"...No. The pain... It's getting worse."<br>"Lie down."

Kenny did as Kyle told him and curled up into a ball, still holding his stomach with both hands. Kyle noticed that he was also sweating a lot and put his hand against his forehead.

"You have a fever... I told you this wasn't such a good idea."  
>"I'll be fine, as long as you're with me."<p>

"_I probably shouldn't have said that._"

"I don't think my presence can do anything for you.. But I'm glad you think that it does."

The boys wanted to smile at each other, but Kenny was in too much pain and Kyle just couldn't smile while his friend was in this state.

"You should rest... Just close your eyes and try to sleep."  
>"I've been sleeping for a very long time. I don't think it's gonna work this time."<br>"To be honest, I'm surprised it was working in the first place. You're not supposed to be able to sleep."  
>"I hadn't been sleeping well anyway..."<br>"I guess that explains it."

"_And now that that's gone... I'll probably be up all night._"

* * *

><p>Just like Kenny thought, he was unable to fall asleep for the rest of the day. His pain, fever and twitches were getting worse by the minute, and the fact that Kyle had been unable to stay awake didn't help much either. He was in pain and he felt lonely without Kyle to talk to, which just made it worse. He wanted to be closer to Kyle, not just emotionally, but physically as well. He wanted to get in the sleeping bag with him, wrap his arms around him and never let go again. He got up and looked at the empty space in the sleeping bag and imagined what it would be like to do it. He wanted to do it. He felt almost as if he was being pulled towards Kyle, whilst his own brain screamed at him, telling him to do it. But he wouldn't. He thought that if he did anything wrong, Kyle would leave him to deal with this alone.<br>Of course, Kyle would never do that, but Kenny was sure of it. He got back onto his bed, closed his eyes and started crying in silence. His tears were warm, almost like Kyle's skin when it brushed against his own, and every bit as delicate as they ran down his face and were absorbed into the fabric beneath him.  
>He couldn't stop thinking about Kyle. Everywhere he looked he saw something else that reminded him of a special moment they had spent together.<p>

* * *

><p>Kenny spent hours going through all those memories without even realizing that it was already morning or that he had stopped throwing up.<p>

"Kenny? Are you awake?" whispered Kyle.  
>"Yeah. I couldn't sleep." replied Kenny as he wiped his tears.<br>"How are you feeling?"  
>"I'm a bit better..."<p>

"_My whole body feels like it's being crushed and put in a blender..._"

"...Kenny, I can see you're still in a lot of pain. Just tell me the truth."  
>"I didn't say I wasn't in pain, just that I'm a little better. And I am."<br>"How long have you been off the drugs?"  
>"I dunno... three, maybe four days? Why?"<br>"Supposedly, after about two or three days, the worst is over. So... you're just gonna keep getting better."

"_Awesome!_"

"...Assuming that you don't use again." said Kyle, sternly, as he started directly into Kenny's eyes.

"_If you keep staring at me like that I think I'm gonna throw up._"

Just like he thought, Kenny suddenly felt the urge to vomit and ran towards the bathroom to do so. Kyle followed him and stood beside the door, trying his best to hold back his tears once again. However, once he noticed that they were alone, his thoughts started deviating and entered the realm of "forbidden" thoughts. He started imagining Kenny completely through his detox, kissing him passionately as a way to thank him. He tried to push these thoughts out of his head, but he was too nervous and just started fidgeting. Kenny didn't notice Kyle's repeated motions, since he was too busy cleaning himself up. Kyle also didn't notice any of this until Kenny walked out of the bathroom, nearly giving him a heart attack.

"H-Hey."  
>"'Hey'?"<br>"I-I mean, a-are you alright?"  
>"Well, my throat is on fire and I can barely stand. But yeah, I'm fine."<p>

"_What the hell is your problem? First you're all friendly and now you start acting like an asshole?_"

"That's no reason to be an asshole, you know."  
>"...I'm sorry." said Kenny as he lowered his head.<br>"...Come on, let's get you back in bed."

Kenny and Kyle put their arms around each other and Kyle helped Kenny back into his room and onto his bed. Kyle sat beside Kenny for a very long time, their hands slowly approaching each other. Kyle put his fingers between Kenny's without actually holding hands, but close enough that it was more than just something they did out of friendship.  
>They were finally starting to accept their feelings for each other and realize that they were not one-sided, as they once thought (even if Kyle only wondered at a near-subconscious level), but mutual.<p>

* * *

><p>A few hours later, both boys were getting ready to sleep. Kenny got in bed wearing only his underwear, since he didn't have pajamas, prompting Kyle to stare intensely at him until his body was fully covered. Kyle got in the large sleeping bag shortly after, but Kenny had other plans. The few seconds that he had with Kyle a few hours ago gave him the courage to risk everything. Besides, if the worst really was over, as Kyle thought, even if he failed, he wouldn't slip back into drugs... or so he hoped.<p>

"...Kyle?"  
>"Yeah?"<br>"I-I'm feeling a b-bit cold... C-Can I sleep with y-you? I-In your sleeping bag, I mean."

"_That has got to be the worst excuse I've ever heard. I just have to say no... just say no..._"

"...S-Sure."

"_...That 'no' didn't come out right. I should try again._"

"D-Do y-you need any help?"

"_God dammit._"

"I think so..."

Kenny got up and walked over to Kyle, who immediately moved to the opposite edge of the sleeping bag, staying as far away from Kenny as possible. Kenny was slightly disappointed, but he got in anyway. He wasn't lying about being cold.

"_It's so warm in here..._"

The warm sleeping bag was able to relieve Kenny's pain and made his muscles relax, which finally enabled him to fall asleep. Kyle, however, was still wide awake, wondering why he had been unable to deny Kenny his request.  
>It wasn't that he <em>wanted<em> to sleep next to Kenny. It certainly couldn't be that. _Kenny_ was the one who liked him, not the other way around... right?  
>Kyle turned around and started staring at Kenny. He started to approach him slowly, without even realizing it until it was too late. Once Kyle noticed what he was doing, it was too late. Their bodies were already being squished together, and he couldn't deny that he was enjoying it. He tried to get away, but his body betrayed him and wouldn't move an inch.<br>Eventually, Kyle fell asleep with his arm around Kenny, as if trying to pull him even closer together.

* * *

><p>Kenny was the first one to wake up a few hours later, but he didn't notice Kyle's arm around him until he actually opened his eyes for the first time, nearly ten minutes later. Even then, he wasn't able to understand whose arm it was until he followed the arm all the way to the source, turning around in order to do so. He was faced with a sleeping and smiling Kyle, which made him very happy. Kenny thought about moving, in case Kyle didn't mean to do what he did; however, he had never been this close to Kyle before, and he wasn't ready to give that up. He wanted this moment to last forever.<br>However, all good things must come to an end.

"Kenny?" whispered Kyle as he opened his eyes.

"_Shit._"

"Are you awake?"

"_Shit shit shit._"

"...Yeah. I-I'm sorry, Kyle. I'll go back to my bed."

Kenny tried to get up, but Kyle's arm wouldn't let him move.

"...Please, just stay for a bit."  
>"...Let me go, Kyle."<br>"Why won't you just stay?"  
>"I heard you talking to Stan. I know you don't like me. I know that-"<br>"Kenny, shut up for once in your life and think."

Kenny was slightly hurt by that comment, although he followed Kyle's advice anyway. Unfortunately, the fact that he wasn't reaching any conclusion was painfully obvious to Kyle, so he decided to take action. With one swift move, he lied down on Kenny and kissed him like he had daydreamed yesterday. After a long and passionate kiss, Kyle put his head next to Kenny's and buried it in the sleeping bag.

"...Wow... I wasn't expecting that." said Kenny with a smile on his face.  
>"...Stay here. Please. After you dropped out and I didn't hear from you... I just... Please, just stay here." replied Kyle with tears in his eyes.<p>

In response, Kenny put his arms around Kyle, like he had imagined, and hugged him tight.

"...I'll never leave you again, Kyle. I promise."

* * *

><p>And that's the end of this chapter. Sorry for the long delay, but I hope this extra-long chapter makes up for it.<p> 


	3. Answer

I have compressed the two weeks into a few paragraphs.

* * *

><p>After what seemed like forever to Kenny, he started to feel a sharp pain coming from his back that was increasing with each passing moment. Even though he wanted to hold on to Kyle, he just couldn't do it anymore. At least not like this.<p>

"Kyle... it's not that I don't enjoy this, but you really need to get off me. My back is starting to hurt a lot."

Kyle hurriedly got off Kenny and the boys found themselves in the same situation as when Kyle woke up.

"Hey there, Kyle."  
>"...Hey."<p>

"_I see you're still feeling... awkward after that..._"

"...I'm really sorry for leaving you alone, Kyle. I won't... I won't do it again. I swear. I don't want to see you sad."  
>"Just... shut up. You have no idea what I... You were gone. Nobody knew where you were. Do you know how long I had been looking for you?"<br>"...Why didn't you ask my brother?"  
>"I did! He said <em>you<em> told him not to tell anyone!"  
>"Then why didn't you say something when you found me?"<br>"I wanted to, but... I couldn't... I'm sorry..."  
>"It's not your fault, Kyle. I'm the one who's sorry. I'll never do that again."<p>

* * *

><p>The boys fell asleep in each other's arms a while later and only woke up when Kyle's phone rang. It was Stan, calling once again to check on them.<p>

"_Stan, why the fuck do you always call at the worst possible moment?_"

"I-"  
>"I know, I know. It's OK."<p>

Kyle left the room with a very annoyed look on his face due to Stan's interruption and answered the phone.

"Hey, K-"  
>"Stan, just say what the hell's on your mind so I can get back to..."<br>"...To what?"

"_Should I tell him?_"

"T-To Kenny, obviously. H-His back is still hurting a lot a-and..."

Stan noticed that Kyle was stuttering even more than when he was trying to convince everyone that he wasn't afraid of heights, and that could only mean one thing – he was lying.

"Holy crap you kissed him, didn't you?"  
>"...Y-Yeah."<p>

Stan wasn't expecting that answer. His guess was just the most improbable thing that he could think of, so he thought that if he said it, Kyle would tell him the truth, which wouldn't be as incredible.

"...Seriously?"

"_You actually followed __**my**__ advice for once in your life?_"

"We also kinda... slept together."  
>"Kyle, dude, TMI."<br>"N-No, not like that! We didn't have sex, we just..."  
>"Oh, you <em>literally<em> slept together. I guess that's... better..."

"_...Well, this is the most awkward conversation I've ever had with anyone._"

"Y-You know, Kyle, I think I'm gonna... hang up the phone now. Leave you two alone, etc."  
>"Yeah, that's probably a good idea."<br>"Just... I mean, I... Never mind."

Stan hung up the phone and Kyle went back into the sleeping bag next to Kenny. The conversation he just had was slowly fading from his mind, until all that was left was Kenny.

"_Kenny... I love you so much..._"

* * *

><p>Kyle spent the following week and a half taking care of Kenny until he made a full recovery. After finally declaring their love for each other, the detox symptoms were greatly reduced, and even the pain coming from his back had been numbed somewhat. They spent hours talking to each other about the time they spent apart; specifically about any strange events that had occurred during that time. Kyle was still uncomfortable with the idea of dating another boy at first, but Kenny's smile, his soft skin brushing against his own and even his voice were enough to make his heart melt. He stopped caring and just enjoyed it. He loved Kenny, and he didn't care what anyone thought of that.<br>However, despite all of their bonding, now it was time for Kyle to go back home.

"Can't you just stay a little longer?"  
>"I'm sorry, Ken... My mom will kill me. Besides, these are my last clean clothes."<br>"I'm sure I won't mind if you walk around naked..." said Kenny with a grin.  
>"Ken!"<p>

"_I love it when you call me 'Ken'._"

"...I'll be back tomorrow. I promise."  
>"Alright..."<p>

Kyle gave Kenny a quick kiss on the lips and left. Kenny sighed, already missing his new boyfriend. He wanted to go with him, but he also had something he needed to do. He had to get back to his job before he got fired.

"_I'm late... again._"

* * *

><p>Kenny ran as quickly as he could to the garage; however, he found it closed. He knocked on the door and called out for his boss to open it, yet there was no reply. Kenny was just about to leave when he heard the door being opened. Kenny got inside and emptied the contents of his pockets onto the small table near him, to avoid getting injured while he worked. However, his boss looked very worried.<p>

"What's wrong?"  
>"Kenny... We're being closed down."<br>"What? Why?"  
>"I'm very old, kid. I can't work like I used to, and after you were injured... I just couldn't handle all of these requests, so people stopped coming here. Without costumers..."<br>"...What if I could get them back?"  
>"If you could pull off a miracle like that, we might just make it."<br>"Give me their names."  
>"Hang on a second..."<p>

"_Kyle... I'm sorry._"

"Here. These are their names. Some left addresses, but most of them didn't." said Kenny's boss as he handed him a small book.  
>"I won't let you down."<br>"Go on... I'll stay here."

"_Good luck, kid._"

Kenny went from door to door talking to everyone, trying to get them back. Many said no at first, and a few even slammed their doors in Kenny's face without listening to him, but some reluctantly agreed to his proposal. Thankfully, the few who had said yes hadn't taken their cars anywhere else, since they had been too busy.

* * *

><p>A few hours later, Kenny was still going from door to door, not knowing that Kyle was already going to see him at his house. However, instead of being greeted by Kenny, as he expected, he was greeted by Kevin, who told him that Kenny wasn't home.<p>

"_He's probably still working._"

Kyle walked all the way to the garage where Kenny worked, but he failed once again. Kenny's boss had already left, so he wasn't even informed of the fact that Kenny was trying to save their business.

"_Maybe he's buying something for me. He always said that the first thing he was going to do once he got better was get me some pretty flowers and one of those heart-shaped boxes with candy... Not very imaginative, but I know he's doing the best he can._"

Kyle reached for his phone and dialed Kenny's number. Unfortunately, because Kenny forgot his things behind in the garage, the fact that he heard his phone ringing from inside the garage didn't exactly make him feel happy.  
>Kyle had never had much confidence in people, so the first thing that popped into his mind was that the past two weeks had been a sick joke at his expense. However, once he realized that this was too far to go for something like that, he thought that Kenny was just using him to have some "fun". That sounded more like him. Kenny had never let himself be held down by anyone. He just wanted someone to have fun with. Why should he be any different? Why should he expect Kenny to have a serious and committed relationship with him?<p>

"_I should have known..._"

* * *

><p>Kyle went home immediately and stayed there for the rest of the day. He hoped that he was wrong; that Kenny would explain what had happened. However, there were so many houses, and so much time was wasted convincing every one of them to come back, that he didn't have any free time until it was too late, so Kyle went to sleep in tears, convinced that Kenny had just used him.<p>

* * *

><p>Kenny had stayed up all night working, so he only woke up after noon. He went straight for Kyle's house to apologize about what had happened, but Kyle didn't answer the door. Kenny heard faint footsteps moving towards the door, but, once they stopped, nobody opened it.<p>

"Kyle, it's me, Kenny. Can you please open the door? I'm sorry about yesterday... There was an emergency at the garage and... I just couldn't make it. I'm sorry"

Yet there was no answer. Kyle was standing on the other side wondering whether he should open it or not. He felt betrayed by Kenny, but he still loved him.  
>Kyle opened the door slightly and glanced over at Kenny. His face had "honesty" and "regret" written all over it, so he let him inside.<p>

"...Hey, Kenny."

"_'Kenny'?_"

"I'm really sorry about yesterday. Like I said, there was-"  
>"Yeah, I heard you."<p>

"_OK... So you're in a bad mood. Understandable._"

"I know you probably think that I was trying to avoid you or something like that, but I wasn't. I swear."  
>"Yeah, you also <em>swore<em> you'd meet me yesterday."

"_Kyle, it was one time and the circumstances were... unexpected. Why are you making such a big deal out of this?_"

"...I guess I shouldn't be surprised. After all, you're Kenny!"

"_Why is it that that sounds like an insult?_"

"You've dated so many girls that I'm surprised you haven't caught something and died yet."

"_I did, a couple of times._"

"You've never held on to a girlfriend for more than a few weeks, why should I be any different?"  
>"You're right, I never had a serious relationship before. But you <em>are<em> different. I didn't care about those other girls, and they didn't care about me. We were just..."  
>"Having fun?"<br>"...I guess. Look, the point is, Kyle, you _are_ different."  
>"Why? Why is it that I'm different from them? Is it because I'm a boy? Tell me, because I really don't see any other difference!" yelled Kyle with tears in his eyes.<br>"Because..."

Kenny was hesitant to say the three words he knew to be true more than anything else. However, once Kyle's tears started hitting the floor, he decided he had to say it, no matter what.

"...Because I love you, Kyle. I love you."  
>"...If that's true, then why did you leave me alone yesterday?"<br>"I've been trying to tell you, there was a problem at the garage. My boss is old, he can't do all that work by himself... They were going to close it down. They probably still are. I came here to talk to you and explain that I'm not gonna have as much time to spend with you for the next month or so."

Kyle desperately wanted to believe that, even though every fiber in his body told him not to. His lack of trust in people was really throwing him off. He had to get a hold of himself before he did something stupid.

"...OK."  
>"Besides, I brought you a gift today."<br>"What is it?"

Kenny covered Kyle's eyes with one hand while holding his hand with the other and dragged him outside. Kyle really hated it when people did something like this, but, since it was Kenny, he didn't mind it this time.

"OK, I'm gonna take my hand off your eyes, but keep them closed."  
>"Alright..."<p>

Kyle heard a few strange noises that he couldn't identify, followed by a very loud horn just inches away from his face. He instinctively opened his eyes and covered his ears, much to Kenny's amusement.

"Aww, I told you to keep your eyes closed!" said Kenny with a grin.  
>"...Ken, I'm gonna kill you for this."<br>"Don't you mean 'kiss you'? This is your dad's car, after all. I spent hours fixing it last night."

Kyle hadn't even noticed whose car it was until Kenny pointed it out. He ran towards his boyfriend and gave him a big kiss, followed by a slap.

"What the hell was that for?"  
>"Consider yourself lucky. I <em>was<em> gonna kill you."  
>"Can I at <em>least<em> get another kiss for the pain?"  
>"...Fine."<p>

Kyle leaned forward and gave Kenny a kiss on the cheek that he had slapped, much to his boyfriend's disappointment.

"The cheek?"  
>"Like I said, consider yourself lucky."<p>

"_OK then, no more pranks..._"

"Well? Are you gonna let the car stay there or are you gonna put it in the garage?"  
>"Kyle, seriously, tone it down. You're starting to go from 'funny' to 'asshole'."<br>"...Sorry."

* * *

><p>Kenny did as Kyle asked and left. He had to go back to work. However, since he didn't want to stay away from him for too long, Kyle went to the garage with him. Once he got there, he was greeted by Kenny's boss with a big smile.<p>

"So, this is _the_ Kyle?"  
>"Yup, this is Kyle."<br>"You know, Kenny here talks about you all the time... When he's not asleep, that is."  
>"You do?"<br>"Well, sometimes..."  
>"I'm just glad I get to meet the boy who stole Kenny's heart."<p>

"_How the fuck did he know?_"

"How did-"  
>"Kenny, if there's anything us old people are good at it's reading other people. It's clear how much you like this boy... and from the look of it, I'd say that he likes you a lot too."<br>"Well... I guess that's true..."  
>"I just hope that you're not here to distract him. If you are, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave. We're in a lot of trouble, you know."<br>"I know. Kenny told me. I'll stay out of his way."  
>"Alright then. You can sit over there."<p>

Kyle sat down where Kenny's boss told him to and didn't say anything for the rest of the day, being contented simply by watching Kenny work. After all, watching the hottest guy in South Park getting all sweaty and shirtless wasn't such a bad thing. Kenny knew that Kyle was watching him, so he made sure to tease him a bit every once in a while. Thankfully, his boss didn't notice any of this, since he was asleep most of the time.

* * *

><p>After almost two months of hard work, Kenny made sure that the garage wasn't going to be closed down. Kyle even started helping him whenever he could, bringing him tools and such, and sometimes even helping with the actual repairs. Everything was better once again. In fact, things were so great that Kenny decided to ask Kyle for something. As they kissed, Kenny slipped a hand into Kyle's pants' pocket and dropped something in it.<p>

"Was that your idea of foreplay or something?"  
>"Check your pocket."<p>

Kyle turned around and took the small item out of his pocket. It was a gold ring. When he turned around to ask what this was all about, he found Kenny with one knee against the ground.

"_No..._"

"Kyle..." said Kenny as he held Kyle's hand.

"_Don't say it..._"

"Will you marry me?" asked Kenny with a big smile on his face.

"_No... no no no no..._"

"...N-No." whispered Kyle.  
>"I-I'm sorry, I-I didn't get that."<br>"...No." answered Kyle in a shaky voice.  
>"W-What?" asked Kenny while his smile faded away.<br>"No." repeated Kyle, sternly.

* * *

><p><strong>PRESENT<strong>

"_Fucking Kyle... He didn't have to say what he said..._"

"Kenny! It's time for dinner!"  
>"I'll eat something later, mom, thanks!"<p>

"_Fucking Kyle..._"

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Kyle had finally arrived home after a very long trip. Every step away from Kenny had been like walking through sand with cement shoes on, but he did it anyway. He didn't know why he had said those things. He didn't mean the mean things he said, he was just nervous.<br>He _did_ want to marry Kenny, just not right now. They were too young, Kyle didn't even have a job yet and they were both still living with their parents. What was Kenny thinking? But it was too late now. Kyle knew that the things he said were too hurtful for Kenny to just forgive him, no matter how much he loved him.

"_Great... I just ended a relationship because I couldn't tell Kenny what I really thought... Why did I do that? Why didn't I tell him the truth?_"

"Hey, Kyle. Why the long face?"  
>"None of your business, Ike."<br>"It's just that Stan's waiting for you in your room and... well, he might ask the same thing if you don't get a hold of yourself."  
>"...OK. Thanks for the tip."<br>"No problem."

"_Although next time you could try apologizing for being a dick._"

Kyle went upstairs into his room and, just like Ike said, Stan was sitting on his bed, waiting for him to come back.

"Hey, dude... What's with the face? I thought you'd be happy after what Kenny asked."  
>"...You know?"<br>"Who do you think bought that ring? Well, most of it anyway. Kenny also helped a bit."  
>"...You fucking idiot."<p>

"_Shit._"

"Do you know what I just did? I just told Kenny that I didn't want to marry him. I said some things that I just..."  
>"Why are you blaming <strong>me<strong> for what **you** did?"  
>"Because it's all your fault! If you hadn't told him to... I didn't know what I was doing..."<br>"...I'm sorry. Kenny really wanted to ask you to marry him, but he didn't have the money for the ring, and he came to me, and I just... I thought you shared his feelings on that."  
>"...And I do, but... It's too soon... We still living in our parents' houses, for fuck's sake!"<br>"You should talk to him about that, then."  
>"...After what I said... He doesn't want to talk to me."<br>"Kenny's not like you, Kyle. He'll be over it soon enough."  
>"And how soon is 'Soon enough'?"<br>"I don't know... tomorrow?"  
>"Right..."<p>

Stan was once again feeling that he shouldn't be talking about Kenny, so he decided to leave. Kyle welcomed his absence and went to sleep shortly afterward. He wanted to forget what had happened today and was hoping that Kenny would do the same.

* * *

><p>The following morning, Kyle decided to go talk to Kenny, even though he was sure that he was still very upset. He thought that if he explained it, like Kenny did a few months ago, he would forgive him.<p>

"_I really hope I'm right..._"

"Hey, Kevin. Is Kenny around?"  
>"He's been in his room since you left. I don't know what you did, but he's locked himself in there and won't talk to us about it."<p>

"_Great._"

"...Well? Go talk to him."  
>"R-Right, sorry..."<p>

Kyle walked up the stairs very slowly. Kenny's parents were out, but his siblings were watching him closely, which made him very nervous. He stood next to Kenny's bedroom door for a very long time, glaring at his siblings until they left the house. Once he was sure that they were gone, Kyle knocked on Kenny's door and started talking.

"Kenny, can you please open the door?"

"_This is fucking ridiculous._" thought Kyle.

"Kenny, open the fucking door. You're acting like a child."  
>"...It's exactly what you did to me when I happened to leave my phone behind."<br>"Yeah, and what happened when I listened to you?"  
>"...You ended up breaking my heart."<br>"No, what happened was that you explained it to me. Now open the goddamn door and let **me** explain."

"_...He's right._"

Kenny shuffled around in his room, looking for his bedroom key, and finally unlocked and opened the door. Kyle went inside, and Kenny locked it once again.

"...You have one minute."

"_Still acting like a fucking child... But I guess it's better than nothing._"

"Just listen to me. I'm sorry about what I said. I didn't mean any of it."  
>"So you <strong>do<strong> wanna marry me?"  
>"...Yes, but... not now. We're too young. We haven't even moved out of our parents' houses."<br>"So?"  
>"Kenny, how can you marry someone before you even have your own place to move in with them?"<br>"...I just... I love you so much..."  
>"I know. I love you too. But... this is too soon. We haven't been dating for 2 months. You know that two of the things that screw up marriages are getting married too soon and too young."<br>"...When should we do it then?"  
>"When we're both ready."<br>"I'm ready now. When will you be ready?"  
>"...I don't know, Kenny. But I'll tell you when I am."<br>"...What should I do with this ring then?"  
>"You should keep it until I'm ready... It's kinda pretty."<br>"Stan helped a bit-"  
>"Yeah, he told me. Apparently he was waiting to congratulate me before anyone else had a chance."<br>"Really? What did he say?"  
>"Well, you know... same old Stan stuff, like..."<p>

Kyle went on to describe what his encounter with Stan had been, although Kenny wasn't paying much attention. He was imagining and planning the perfect marriage for the perfect guy – Kyle. He wanted to give him the world. His only regret was trying to do it so soon.

* * *

><p>That's the end. I hope you like it. I was planning on writing an epilogue or maybe even a sequel, but I'll leave their marriage up to your imaginations. I think it's better than anything I could come up with.<p> 


End file.
